It’s time to dive into another edition of the 12 Days of Christmas workout. If you’ve missed earlier versions featured on Tom’s Guide, you can still jump in and take part. This routine is CrossFit-inspired and designed to be beginner-friendly, with clear options to modify movements based on your fitness level, making it accessible for everyone looking to enjoy a fun and challenging festive workout.
Some of the most demanding CrossFit-style workouts don’t rely on heavy weights, and this one is no exception. While equipment is minimal, the workout is built to push muscular endurance and test stamina. Expect a challenging blend of physical effort and mental resilience as you work through each round.
Understanding the 12 Days of Christmas Workout
This workout follows the structure of the classic Christmas song, featuring 12 different exercises. You begin with a single movement, adding a new exercise with each round. Every round requires you to work back down through the previous movements, with reps increasing as the workout progresses.
There’s no festive gimmick here—just a sequence of high-intensity, full-body movements designed to elevate your heart rate and challenge your endurance. With a 35-minute time cap, pacing and rest management are key to completing the workout.
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The Exercise Lineup
- Barbell thruster
- Barbell squat
- Barbell burpee
- Pike push-ups or handstand push-ups
- Shuttle runs
- Chin-ups
- Push-ups
- Calories on a cardio machine
- Box jumpovers
- V-ups
- Ball slams
- Calories on a cardio machine
How the Workout Flows
Begin with your barbell in the front rack and complete one thruster. Follow this with two barbell squats, then return to the thruster. Continue by adding three burpees over the barbell, then descend back through the previous movements.
This pattern continues as you add exercises from the list, always working back down to the starting movement. Once you reach the final exercise, complete 12 calories on a machine of your choice, then finish by descending all the way back to the thruster.
Movement Guidance and Cardio Choices
If you’re confident with handstand push-ups, you can include them. Otherwise, pike push-ups with feet on the floor or elevated are effective alternatives. For shuttle runs, set two markers roughly 10 to 20 meters apart and run back and forth, counting each out-and-back as one shuttle.
For calorie work, choose a machine you can move efficiently on, such as a rower. While the air bike offers a serious challenge, it may slow overall progress. Box jumpovers require stepping down on the opposite side after each jump, while ball slams should be performed explosively with a challenging but manageable weight.
Scaling and Modifications
This workout emphasizes high volume, totaling up to 364 reps if completed fully. While heavy loads aren’t necessary, scaling is encouraged. You can share reps with a partner, step over the barbell during burpees, or use a resistance band for assisted chin-ups.
Additional modifications include knee push-ups, stepping onto the box instead of jumping, reducing the weight for ball slams, or replacing V-ups with simpler core movements. Whatever equipment you use for calories, ensure the display tracks your count so you can move quickly and consistently through each round.
